Neck Pain

Neck Pain

According to the American Physical Therapy Association, 1/3 of the population will experience neck pain in any given year.

Neck pain is a common complaint. It can make even the most trivial of tasks quite difficult, and leave a person in excruciating pain. Symptoms of neck pain may include:

Pain that’s often worsened by holding your head in one place for long periods, such as when driving or working at a computer

Muscle tightness and spasms

Decreased ability to move your head

Headache

Neck pain is most commonly caused by an injury to the tissue or bone structure in the neck. Some of the conditions that can cause neck pain are:

Injuries. Whiplash is one of the most common injuries that result in neck pain, typically sustained by an automobile or high-impact sports collision. This is known as a “strain” injury, causing the head to whip rapidly back-and-forth, thus affecting the soft tissues in the back of the neck.

Illnesses. Certain diseases and ailments can result in neck pain, such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis, or cancer.

Nerve compression. If you have a herniated disc in your neck, or narrowing of the foramen (space where the nerves exit the spine), the nerves that branch out from your spinal cord can become compressed. In some cases, nerve pain can even extend from the neck all the way down to the hands and fingers — a condition known as “radiculopathy.”

Muscle strains. The muscles in your neck can become strained by overuse. Even something as simple as sitting at your desk all day with your neck craned toward the computer screen can lead to a strain in your neck muscles.

Joint degeneration. Much like any other joint in your body, the neck joints can erode with age, causing pain. Conditions such as osteoarthritis can also reduce the cartilage between the vertebrae in the neck, also resulting in neck pain.

If you are ready to start your journey to neck pain relief, please contact us today to schedule your appointment.